PlantFiles Pictures: Walking Iris (Neomarica northiana), 1 by babachick

babachick wrote:
Hello Greg, Your Neomarica could very well be N. Northiana. I grew it in Pennsylvania many years ago where it was called the 'Apostle Plant'. I now live in Hawaii and I have hundreds of Neomarica plants some of which (N. Amethystinum x Medusa) have flower stalks 6 and 7 feet high with several all violet flowers opening at the same time, all on the same leaf which carries up to eight seperate flowering sheaths, I get upwards of 600 flowers open at one time and the fragrance is 'heliotrope"everywhere. The leaves are silghtly bluish as compared to a shorter un-named species which has emerald green leaves and the very common 'walking iris' N. Gracilis (Gracilis means Grassy) The fragrance of each Neomarica species is different and N. Gracilis reminds me of 'lilies of the valley'. I do not remember the fragrance of N. Northiana but it is different from all others ( maybe like Apple) and basically they all come from Brazil. I also have N. Cereulea which has no white petals ( like N. gracilis and the un-named one). Neomarica is usually confused with Moorea which it resembles closely except the Moorea flowering stems arise from the base of the plant --- unlike the Neomaricas which produce flowers from the leaf itself which then produce 1 to five plantlets. They will all walk and spread themselves around but I either replant them where I want them or use them for barter or give them as gifts to friends who can't live without them. They also make a lot of seed which is easy to grow. Perhaps you could send me your email address and I can send you a folder. Here is my address..... Babachick@hawaii.rr.com